Rotary hydrocarbon-engine.



S. G. STAPP.

ROTARY HYDROCARBON ENGINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JANJQ, 1911.

Attorneys 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Patented Oct. 27, 1914.

S. G. STAPP. ROTARY HYDROOARBON ENGINE. APPLIUATI'ON FILED JAN. 19, 1911.

Patented Oct. 27, 1914 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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Inventor SIMEON GISTAPP, F PHILLIPSBURG, KANSAS.

ROTARY HYDROCARBON-ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Oct. 27, 1914..

Application filed January 19, 1911. Serial No. 603,557.

To all eohom it may concern Be it known that 1,,SIMEON G. STAFF, a

' citizen of the United States, residing at Phillipsburg, in the county of Phillips and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Rotary Hydrocarbon-Engine, of which the following is a. specification.

The present invention appertains to hydrocarbon or internal combustion engines of the rotary type, and aims to provide a novel and improved machine of that character.

' One of the objects of thelprescnt invention is to provide a unique rm of ignition apparatus for the engine, whereby the explosive charges may be ignited at the opporthe rotation of the engine Another object of the present invention is to provide a rotary en ine embodying novel fuel supplying means or the cylinders.

It is also within the spirit of the present invention, to provide a rotor engine which will be improved generally in its construction, to enhance the utility of the engine.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be apparent as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction 'herein after described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention has been illustrated in its preferred embodiments in theaccornpanying drawing, wherein 1- Figure 1 is a section taken through the median plane of the engine. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the engine, portions being broken away, and portions of the ignition apparatus being illustrated diagrammati- .cally. Fig. 3 is a central transverse section of the engine.

In carrying out the present invention, there is provided a suitable frame F within which is disposed a circular case, the same being mounted for rotation upon a trans- .versely disposed crank shaft 2 having its terminals clamped or otherwise engaged to the sides of the frame 1 The case 1 is closed, and is adapted to be supplied with the combustible fuel or nuxture, in any suitable manner. The case is provided with a plurality oi cylinders 3 projecting radially v11, to pistons within the cylinders B and I). As illus-.

frofii its periphery, the outer end or head portions of the cylinders being provided with the peripheral or annular flanges 4 for facilitating the cooling of the cylinders, as the cylinders are rotated with the case 1. The inner ends of the cylinders are closed or provided with partitions to close the inner ends of the cylinders from the case 1. The inner ends or partitions of the cylinders are each provided with a passage or port 5, normally closed by a yieldably or spring seated valve 6 opening outwardly. Slotted yokes T and 8 are engaged to the crank of the shaft 2, the crank working within the slots 9 of the said yokes work in parallel planes and the yoke 7 is connected by oppositely extending piston The yokes 7 and 8 rods 9' to pistons 10 mounted for reciprocation in a pair of diametrically opposite and alining cylinders 3, designated while the yoke 8 is connected by piston rods 12 mounted for reciprocation trated, four cylinders are employed, and are arranged in a cruciform relation, the axesof the opposite cylinders bein in alinement, and the xes of all of the cylinders lying in the median plane of the engine. The piston rods are slidable through the inner ends or partitions of the cylinders, the pistons defining the explosive chambers at the outer ends of the cylinders, and the compression chambers at the inner ends of the cylinders Each of the cylinders is provided with an exhaust port 13 in that side which is foremost when the engine is in operation, or in other words, each cylinder is provided in its front side with the exhaust port which opens toward the direction which the cylinder rotates, the exhaust ports being normallyclosed by the respective. pistons and being opened when the successive pistons approach the inner ends of their strokes. Each of the cylinders is also provided upon its back side, or dianwtrically opposite the exhaust port, with a longitmlhially extending by-pass or duct 14, the inner end of which connnunicates with the inner end of the cylinder, or the compression chamber, and the outer end of which is disposed slightly inward from or diagonally opposite the exhaust port 13. The outer ends of the by-passcs or conduits are normally closed by the pistons, it being observed that as the pistons approach the ends of their inwaixl strokes, the exhaust portswill first be opened, and the inlet ports A and B,

provided bv the by-pa'sses will be opened immediately following the exhaust ports.

The ignition apparatus includes an arouate strip 15, which may be of insulating material, if desired, and which has oneend attached to one end oli 'theframe The strip 15 is disposed concentric with the axis of the crank shaft, and is disposed directly outside of the path of the heads O1,Ol.lt8l ends of the cylinders, the other end of the strip 15 being'freeto ilex sl'ightly, if necessary. Secured to the inner side of the free portion of the strip 16,:is an arcuate contact strip 16, having its inner end 17 beveled, and being insulated from the strip 15 or from the frame' 1 1 An electrical conductor is attached tothe strip '16 and is connected to a spark coil 18, the free end or extremity of the strip 15 supporting an insulated binding post 19 connected to the outer end. of the contact strip 16', for the attachment of the said conductor.

An arm 21 is mounted for oscillatory adj ustments upon the crank shaft between one side of the case 1 and one side of the frame F, and a yieldable commutator brush 20 is carried by the arm 21, and has a conductor attached thereto and connected to the spark coil. The terminals'or ends 22 of the crank shaft, as above intimated, are clamped to or otherwise held by the sides of the frame, in order to properly hold the crank of the said shaft, it being apparent that by slightly oscillating the crank shaft, the crank may be disposed at various angles, as may be most desirable. A commutator 23 is disposed at one side of the case 1, and is arranged to revolve therewith, the commit tator having an annular or peripheral series of segments or contacts 24; arranged to successively engage the brush 20. The segments 2% are electrically connected to the case 1.

The ignition apparatus also includes a battery or source of current 25 connected to the sparkcoil by a conductor 26 and to and crank shaft by" one end of the frame F a conductor 27.

Each cylinder 3 is provided with a spark plug 28 in its head or outer end, one electrode of each plug or ignition means being provided with a brush or yieldable contact 29, the said brushes or contacts 29 being adapted to successively brush or wipe along the contact strip 16 as the engine rotates, it being observed that the brushes or contacts 29 are adapted to move along the strip 15 from its butt or basal end, to and along the contact strip 16, whereby the strip 15 will be somewhat supported by its engagement with the successive brushes, or contacts 29. p v

In operation, as the ylinders rotate, they will operate with a two cycle action. Thus, as the cylinders rotate in a counter clock- .bers, as will be obvious.

Minnie wise direction, as seen in Fig. 1, the cylinderslin moving from the uppermost or upright positions to the lowermost or depend ing position, will cause the pistons to move inwardly, to thereby compress the explos ve charge within the inner ends or compression chambers of the cylinders. As the cylinders approach their lowermost or depending positions, the exhaust ports will. first be opened to permit the the bypasses 1 1 will be opened to permit the compressed charges to pass into the explosion chambers. As the cylinders move from their lowermost or depending positions to their uppermost or upright positions, the pistons will be forced-outwardly, to compress the new charges admitted into the explosion chambers, the exhaust and intake ports being closed, and the explosive mixture being drawn from the case 1 through the ports 5 into the compression chambers. The arm 21 is so adjusted that the brush 20 will successively engage the respective segments 24 to close the circuit through the case 1 and upper cylinder 3 to the spark plug, then across the electrodes of the. spark plug to the respective brush contact, and to the contact strip 16 and then to the spark coil which is connected to the brush 20. In this manner, the compressed explosive charges are ignited when the cylinders are uppermost or in their position, and the charges then bein ignited and expanded, serving to rotate t e cylinders in a counter clockwise direction. The brushes or contacts 29 riding into contact with and working along the contact strip 16 will serve to efiectively connect the successive spark plugs with the spark coil, whereby the circuit may be properly closed by means of the brushes 20 carried by the adjustable arm or lever 21.

It will be evident that the intake and ,ex-' haust ports of the cylinders are devoid of valves, the burnt gases being first permitted to pass out through the exhausts of the cylinders, asthe pistons move inwardly beyond the exhaust port, and then followin the openings of the exhaust ports and emission of the burnt gases, the intake ports will be opened to admit the entry of the new charges from the compression chambers through the by-passes 14. It is desirable to permit the exhaust ports to be first opened, to relieve the cylinders of the compression of the burnt gases, prior to the admission of the new charges into the explosion cham- This is accomexhaust ports and 14- diagonally opplished by disposing the outer ends of the by-pass posite each other.

What is claimed is In a rotary hydrocarbon engine, a supporting frame, a stationary crank shaft carried thereby, a case mounted for the shaft within the frame and having a gases to exhaust, and then,

upright rotation on plurality of radial cylinders, pistons in the cylinders and operatively connected to the crank shaft, ignition means carried by the outer end of each cylinder and including a 5 yieldable terminal, an arcuate strip attac ed at one end to the said frame and disposed directly outside the path of the heads of the cylinders, an insulated arcuate contact strip secured to the inner side of the aforesaid 10 strip at its free end and arranged to be successively engaged by the contacts, the contacts wiping along the said strips, a commutator disposed at one side of the case and rotatable therewith, the commutator includ- 15 ing a series of segments electrically con- 

